Process of rendering leather waterproof.



UNITED STATES CHARLES BoHM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PROCESS OF RENDERiNG LEATHER WATERPROOF.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 649,155, datedMay 8, 1900. Application filed .T'auuary 17,1900. Serial No- 1,?2-3. (No specimens.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES 1363M, a citizen of Germany, and a resident of New York city, county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Processes of Rendering Leather Waterproof, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a novel manner of treating leather so as to render it impervious to water, oils, and acids. By my invention also the durability of the leather is increased and its liability to stretch is diminished. Thus leather treated according to my invention will be found of superior utility in the various branches of manufacture-such as shoes, belting, trunks, harness,wearing=appare], pocket-books, &c. I

In carrying my invention into effect I proceed as follows:

First. I prepare a bath of about one (1) pound of Wax and half an ounce of oil of mirbane, (nitrobenzol,) which is an oil substance. After the wax has been meltedin a hot-water bath over a fire the oily substance is added and thoroughly stirred in. Into this heated bath the leather is immersed for from four to five hours, according to the degree of hardness of the leather under treatment. The oil of mirbane has the quality of completely combining with the wax without leaving any fatty deposit upon the leather after the latter has been subjected to the second bath. I have found that for the purposes of this invention oil of bergamot is an equivalent of the oil of mirbane.

' taken out of the first bath is immersed into -tive to oil and will not stretch under ordinary PATENT OFFICE.

Second. A second bath is prepared 0011i posed of equal parts of alcohol and benzin, which is also slightly heated. The leather the second bath and subjected to its action 4'0 for about half an hour. After removal it is dried in the fresh air and is then ready for use. The second bath will cause the wax to be removed clean from the surface of the leather, and practice has demonstrated that 45 by the process described the wax will be retained within the pores of the leather.

Leather prepared according to my invenp tion will be pliable, impermeable to liquids, and of increased strength and durability, and thus leather of a poor grade will be greatlyimproved in quality. So, also, the invention is particularly adapted for treating leather used for driving-belts and similar purposes, because it will become non-absorp- 55 tension.

What I claim is The process of treating leather, whichconsists in subjecting it first to abath of molten wax and nitrobenzol, then to a bath of alcohol and benzin, and finally drying the leather, substantially as specified. Signed by me at New York city, county I and State of New York, this 16th day of Jano5 uary, 1900.

CHARLES BOHM.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM SOHULZ, F. v. BRIESEN. 

